Income Maintenance Services in Ireland
| Author | P.R. Kaim-Caudle |
| Published date | 01 March 1968 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002085236803400109 |
| Date | 01 March 1968 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Income Maintenance Services
in Ireland
by
P. R. KAIM-CAUDLE,
Lecturer in Social Administration,
University of Durham
UDC 351.84: 368.4 (471)
Geographically the Irish Republic is part
A Religious Country
of Western Europe. Its people’s traditions
Ireland is almost
and sentiments reflect their geographical
certainly the most religious
po-
sition.
However in
country in Europe. Some 95 % of its people
many respects relevant to
income maintenance the Republic differs
are Roman Catholics -
most of them attend
church
greatly from other Western European
regularly. The Church is distinctly
coun-
tries.
’
conservative by European standards both in
its theology and in its social outlook.
A New State
Parliamentary Bureaucracy
Ireland, excluding the six north-eastern
The political system of the Irish Republic
counties, became a sovereign State only in
has remained very similar to that of the
1922. Prior to this the whole of Ireland had
United Kingdom. The position of Parliament
been part of the United Kingdom since 1801
(Oireachtas), the Prime Minister (Taoiseach)
and for the previous six hundred years had been
and the Cabinet are almost identical, as is the
closely tied to England. Misunderstandings
minister-civil servant relationship, the structure
and tragic happenings made the association
of the civil service and the local government
between the two countries a long drawn out
organisation. There have only been six Prime
tragedy for the Irish. The six north-eastern
Ministers since the State was founded forty-
counties of Ireland -
the most industrialised
six years ago, in spite of a system of propor-
part of the country, the majority of whose
tional representation in elections for Parlia-
people are Protestant -
have remained part
ment.
of the United Kingdom. They are now called
Northern Ireland, enjoy regional autonomy
and have their own Parliament.
Note. This paper is based on four publications
in which the author has discussed these topics at
A Small State
greater length : Social Policy in the Irish Republic,
London, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1967: Social
The Republic of Ireland has
Security in Ireland and Western Europe, Dublin, The
an area of
Economic &
Social Research Institute, 1964; &dquo; Com-
26,000 square miles (70,000 square kilome-
pensation for Occupational Injuries &dquo;, Administra-
tres) which is five times as large as Northern
tion (Dublin), Vol. 14, No. 1, 1966; and &dquo; The
Ireland and approximately half the size of
Future of Social Services in the Irish Republic &dquo;,
England and Wales. The population is under
Administration (Dublin), Vol. 15, No. 4, 1967.
Other publications to be consulted include .
three millions, less than any European Mem-
Farley, Desmond, Social Insurance and Social As-
ber State of the United Nations except Iceland,
sistance in Ireland. Dublin, Institute of Public Ad-
Luxembourg and Albania.
ministration, 1964; Coughlan, Anthony, Aims of
Social Policy, Dublin, Tuairim Pamphlet 14, 1966;
Coughlan, Anthony, &dquo; The Social Scene &dquo;, Admin-
A Scattered Population
gistration (Dublin), Vol. 14, No. 3, 1966; Binchy,
Helen (Mrs. K. Burke), &dquo; Social Services in Modem
The population density is only 40
Ireland &dquo;, Studies (Dublin), Vol.
per
LII, No. 206, 1963;
Reports of the Department of Social Welfare:
square kilometre, one of the lowest in Europe.
1947-1949 -
P. No. 9807, 1950-1953 -
P. No.
Almost one quarter of its inhabitants live in
2034, 1954-1958 - P. No. 6481, 1959-1962 -
the Dublin conurbation. Most of the re-
P. No. 6766, and 1963-1966’ -
P. No. 9616, Pub-
mainder
lished
are widely scattered, nearly half live
by the Stationery Office, Dublin; and Sum-
in settlements with populations of less than
mary of Social Insurance and Assistance Services,
published annually by the Department of Social
two hundred.
Welfare, Dublin.
54
Demographic Characteristics
Unfavourable Dependency Ratio
The
Looked at superficially the vital statistics of
age structure of the population reflects
the combined effects of births, deaths and
the country for 1965 are very similar to those
emigration. The proportion of children under
of other European States and do not differ
15 in the Republic (31 %) is one of the highest
significantly from those of England and Wales.
in Europe - considerably higher than that
The death rate per 1000 population was 12,
of Britain (23 %). The proportion of older
virtually the same as that of Scotland and
that of England and Wales. The birth
people over 65 (11 %) is
rate
very much the
same as that of Britain and fairly average by
per 1000 population was 22 compared with
19
European standards. The population of
per Scotland and 18 for England and
Wales. Deaths of infants under
working age is, however, exceptionally small.
one year per
A hundred
1000 live births
people of working age had, in
were 25, the same as in Scot-
land but
1961, to
somewhat higher than the
support 73 people of dependent age
rate of
in the
19 for England and Wales.
Republic, but only 48 in Germany, 52 in
England and 51 in Italy. This highly un-
These crude
favourable
notes however hide many
dependency ratio is a most im-
significant differences. The apparent simil-
portant factor in determining the level of in-
arity in the crude birth rate is the result of
come maintenance.
quite different social phenomena. In the
Republic the number of children born per
Standard of Living
1000 married women aged 15-49 was twice
By world standards the Republic of Ireland
as great as in England and Wales (212 to 107).
has a
This large fertility rate is partly offset by the
developed economy and its people enjoy
a
relatively high
high standard of living. However, com-
age of marriage and the large
number of
pared with its neighbours, the United King-
women who do not marry. Thus
dom and the six countries
in Ireland, in 1961,
forming the Euro-
only 60 % of women
aged 20-44
pean Economic Community, the Republic is
were married while the corres-
a
ponding proportion in England and Wales
relatively poor country. According to
United Nations statistics, the national income
was 80 % .
The low mortality rates are
evidence of
per head is about the same as that of Italy
a high standard of public and
and
individual health services.
equal to about half that of France, West-
ern Germany or the United Kingdom. Mak-
These remarkable population characteristics
ing allowance for the low defence expenditure,
the large proportion of children and one or
-
a high fertility rate, a low marriage rate
and
two other factors, it is
a late age of marriage
suggested that the
-
can be traced
back
standard of
to well over a hundred
living of its
years.
The fert-
people is approxi-
ility rate in the 1960’s allowing for changes
mately 60 % of that of its neighbours.
in age structure, has been much the same as
it
was
throughout the last forty years.
A Country of Small Farms
Catholic teaching about family planning is
responsible for this
In
constancy.
1961, some 43 % of all males working
had agricultural occupations. The predomi-
nance of the farming sector explains why only
Emigration
58 % of the labour force are employees
-
the corresponding proportion for the
This has been an outsanding characteristic
United Kingdom is more than 90 %. Most of
of the Irish population since the potato famine
the farm produce is exported to Britain. The
of the 1840’s.
In the period 1926-66, some
income of farmers and their male relatives
965 thousand people emigrated; in the decade
assisting averages about £ 10-£ 11 per week
1951-61, as many as 400 thousand people,
and substantially less than that of industrial
one-seventh of the population, left the country.
employees. Many farmers, particularly on
In the post-war period the Republic has been
the West coast, are very poor and under-
the only country in Europe, except Eastern
employed.
Germany, in which emigration has led to a
population decline, i.e. the very considerable
Aid to Families
natural increase in the population (excess of
births over deaths) has been more than offset
The assistance the State renders in cash and
by emigration. Since 1961, the rate of emi-
kind to...
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